Computer analysis of Cross Canyon culvert

Abstract

Buried culvert has its contribution in improving the convenience and quality of human life. The research of buried culvert in the past decades makes it to serve people more widely and efficiently. The research project of Cross Canyon culvert is one of them.

A computer program was used in this study. The overburden-dependent soil model was chosen to represent the stress states of the soil in the backfill. The triaxial shear test data were converted into an overburden-dependent soil model and then this converted soil model was modified. The modified soil model was obtained when the difference of the measured and computed crown vertical displacement was minimized.

The parametric studies were done after the modified soil model was obtained. In this research, the parametric studies were (1) Effects of different inclusion material on the culvert, (2) Effects of polystyrene plank wrapped around the culvert, (3) Effects of concrete bedding, (4) Effects of compaction. It was found that the material of inclusion had great influence on the moments of the culvert between the position of crown and 45 degrees. The concrete bedding was not a good practice because the moments were increased largely compared with those moments without concrete bedding. Finally, the compaction did not have much effects on the behavior of the culvert.